A telephone helpline which aims to provide aid for victims of so-called honour violence has been launched in Cambridgeshire. The Choice helpline is run by police officers and operates 24 hours a day. Police said it aims to provide victims with a confidential way to get in touch with specially-trained officers. The phone service, accessed on 0800 5999 818, is thought to be the second of its kind in England after Cleveland Police launched a hotline last year. The force gets around eight honour-based violence calls a month. Det Insp Melanie Dales said: "So called honour-based crimes can be complex to understand and often go unreported because the victims do not feel they can approach police. "We believe there are still victims out there who are being either abused by family members or forced into a life that they are not happy with and it is those people we are trying to reach." All calls will be answered by female officers who have had training to give them a better understanding of honour-based crime.
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